Handle guard



A. I. KUPFER HANDLE GUARD Aprifi 22, mm,

Filed Dec. 26, 1940 iaii/iiiornejr.

Patented Apr. 22, 1941 UNITED 11 Claims.

This invention relates generally to covering means for handles and like instrumentalitiesyand particularly deals with hand-cushioning guard means for handle bars employed between the two standards of a crutch.

The prime object of the present invention is to provide a readily attachable and easily removable hand-cushioning guard for existing crutch handles, equipped with means for immovably securing it to such handles, and being designed to effect a non-slip engagement with the latter over the entire handle surface, and which is preferably so dimensioned as to enable the user to securely grip the covered handle without causing an undue strain upon his hand.

Another object of this invention is to provide, in combination with a crutch handle, a removable resilient guard, split along its entire length so as to facilitate its placing over the handle; said guards being provided with means within its body for urging together its split portions, thereby pre venting the guard from moving relative to the handle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a crutch handle guard structure made of resilient material, within the body of which are molded or imbedded means for securely attaching the guard to the handle, and wherein such means consist of a plurality of tapes which may be drawn together and tied, the tying connections of the tapes being disposed within recesses provided in the body to prevent their interfering with the use of the handle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a crutch handle guard, wherein the tie tapes are attached to a support or carrier, the latter being molded or imbedded within the body of the guard and serving as its reinforcement.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a handle guard, in the body of which is inserted a resilient clip structure intended to urge the split body portions of the guard against the handle, thereby securely holding the guard against inadvertent disengagement from the latter.

A further object of this invention is to provide hand-cushioning guards with an imbcdded resillent clip structure for urging it against a handle, said clip structure having means for facilitating its attachment to rigid instrumentalities, such as the uprights of a crutch.

The foregoing and still further objects of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the ensuing description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, which latter shows presently preferred forms, but is by no means intended to limit my invention to the actual showing, and in which Fig. 1 is a perspective illustration of a crutch portion provided with a handle covered with my guard; v

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of one of the forms of my guard;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross section through the guard shown in Fig. 2;

Fi 4 is a cross section taken on lines 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a similar cross section of a modified form of my guard;

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of a tape support or carrier intended to be imbedded in the body of the guard;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal cross section through a handle guard provided with a resilient clip structure;

Fig. 8 is a cross section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of a clip structure.

Referring now specifically to the figures, numeral It] denotes the uprights of a crutch, spaced and held together by the usually employed handle I I, over which is placed my hand-cushioning guard [2, made preferably from sponge rubber. The form of the guard shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 consists of a substantially barrel-shaped,'hollow body, the interior of which is molded to conform to the shape of the handle. The guard is split along its entire length as shown at l3.

Embedded at the interior surface of the guard at It are tie tapes ii, the ends of which extend from the guard body for the purpose of facilitating their being tied against the handle. In order to prevent the tie portions of the tapes from interfering with the grip upon the covered handle, I preferably provide recesses IB which are intended to accommodate the knotted tape ends.

As will be seen in Fig. 3, the entire inner surface of the guard, with the exception of the areas covered by the tapes, is designed to engage the outer surface of the handle. In this way slippage of the guard in respect to the handle is effectively prevented When the guard is securely attached.

A modified form of the handle guard provided with tie tapes is shown in Fig. 5, wherein is employed a tape carrier l1, shown in plan view in Fig. 6. To this carrier tapes l5 are permanently attached by sewing or in any other suitable manner. The carrier is preferably wholly imbedded within the guard body, so that the entire rubber areas betweentapes it constitute large contact surfaces for a secure gripping engagement with the handle to which the guard is attached.

Another modified form of my invention is illusrated in Figs. 7 and 8. Here in body l2 of the guard is imbedded at it a resilient clip structure provided with at least two arcuated clips or prongs 58. In order to prevent undue wear and tear of the outer guard surface, I preferably cover the latter with a textile layer I9, Which incidentally facilitates a more secure grip upon the handle guard. Clips or prongs it are preferably made of sufficiently stiii, but resilient material,

designed to urge the guard body against the surface of the handle.

A similar clip structure is illustrated in Fig. 9, wherein the connecting member 20 is extended at 2| beyond the body of guard I2", indicated in broken lines. From extended portions 2| there depend attaching yokes 22, having suitable apertures 23' for accommodating nails or screws intended to pass into the bodies of the crutch uprights. In this manner the guard is immovably associated with the crutch structure. Clips 13" extending from connecting member 2%, are shaped similarly to clips l8, illustrated and described in connection with Figs. 7 and 8.

While in the accompanying drawing specific embodiments of my handle guard are shown, its construction and arrangement may be changed and improved when employed in connection with handles of different designs or intended for other purposes, and I therefore reserve for myself the right to maize changes and improvements in my invention, without departing from its broad scope, as defined in the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a crutch handle, of a split guard adapted to removably embrace the handle body and having means for holding together the split portions of the guard and to prevent the latters movement in respect to the handle.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, said means comprising flexible elements adapted to be tied against the handle body.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1, said means comprising flexible elements adapted to be tied against the handle body, said elements being permanently united with and imbedded in the guard body.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1, said means comprising flexible elements adapted to be tied against the handle body, said elements being permanently united with and imbedded in the guard body, and comprising a plurality of tapes.

5. In a handle guard, a hollow, resilient, body split along its entire length, and adapted to encase a handle, means permanently associated with the guard body for urging its split ends against each other, thereby providing intimate, non-slip contact between the inner surface of the guard and the outer handle surface.

6. In a handle guard, as set forth in claim 5, said means comprising a plurality of tie tapes associated with the guard body and extending from the split ends thereof.

7. In a handle guard, as set forth in claim 5, said means comprising a plurality of tie tapes associated with the guard body and extending from the split ends thereof, and a tape carrier to which the tapes are fixedly secured imbedded in the guard body.

8. In a handle guard, as set forth in claim 5, said means comprising a plurality of tie tapes associated with the guard body and extending from the split ends thereof, and a tape carrier to which the tapes are fixedly secured imbedded in the guard body, :ie split ends of the guard'body ha ing recesses for accommodating the tied portions of the tapes.

9. In a handle guard, as set forth in claim 5, said means comprisin a resilient clip structure permanently associated with the guard body.

10. In a handle guard, as set forth in claim 5, said means comprisin a resilient clip structure permanently associated withthe guard body, said clip structure being imbedded'in the guard body.

11. In a handle guard, as set forth in claim 5, said means comprising a resilient clip structure permanently associated with the guard body, said ip structure being imbedded in the guard body, the ends of the clip structure having means for attaching the guard to crutch uprights or the like.

ALBERT I. KUPFER. 

